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Donating to the Art Gallery or Museum

The donation process

Express your interest

To propose an artwork or a cultural object for donation, call 905-791-4055 or email Art Gallery or Museum to express your interest.

Once you have called or emailed us, your donation inquiry will be reviewed, and we will contact you to discuss your proposed donation.

Do not bring your proposed donation to PAMA without calling or emailing first. Unexpected drop-off donations will not be accepted and may be disposed of.

Donation considerations

During our discussion, we may ask you to supply images and other relevant information about the proposed donation.

Be ready to answer questions or provide documentation relating to:

  • Information about the artist, maker, manufacturer, individual, or group.
  • The donation’s provenance, its history of ownership or other relevant historical information.
  • The donation’s condition, measurements, materials (or medium), and production date.
  • Any known past restoration efforts or modifications.
  • Any known history of previous exhibition or publication.
  • Receiving a tax receipt for your donation. Donations are not conditional on tax receipt or Canadian Cultural Property Export Review Board (CCPERB) status.

We may also give you a donation inquiry form or ask additional questions that will help gather information about your proposed donation.

Reviewing your donation

The donation will be considered for acquisition once all relevant information has been gathered.

Our staff meet quarterly to review donation proposals, and it may take up to 4 months to reach a decision about your donation.

We will call or email to inform you of the status of your donation. If your donation is not accepted, we may recommend another public collecting institution.

Learn more about how you can support PAMA.

Unsuitable donations

A proposed donation may be considered unsuitable for our Collection due to:

  • Duplication: We assess our current holdings to see if there are similar items in the collection and whether the proposed donation would be a better example.
  • Mandates: We assess which topics, themes, and exhibits or programs the donation could support.
  • Condition: We assess the donation’s physical condition and need for conservation or restoration treatment.
  • Storage: The material type and size of the donation may impact whether we can properly care for it long-term.

Learn more about the donation process.